On November 6, DualForce Labs took part in the Defense Tech Dual-Use Start-up Conference organized by Context VC in San Francisco. The event brought together founders, investors, and industry leaders to discuss the current state of defense innovation, the opportunities ahead, and the challenges unique to this fast-evolving sector.
DualForce Labs was represented by its co-founders Denis Belkevich and Jeff Eshleman, who were glad to meet our Tech Diplomacy Advisor Christina Steinbrecher-Pfandt, CEO of Tech Diplomacy Network. The conference program was sharp, timely, and full of insight — special thanks to Tim Hsia and the Context VC team for their excellent moderation throughout the day.
Key takeaways:
- VCs are increasingly ready to back defense-tech ventures — but they seek ready-to-deploy (“off-the-shelf”) products that are battle-tested and combat-proven.
- Defense-tech founders often need stronger skills in pitching and product marketing, where traditional tech founders still have an edge — creating room for niche accelerators.
- The term “dual-use” can sound more appealing to investors than “defense”, as it suggests broader go-to-market potential.
- Authentic testing footage and field validation outweigh AI-generated visuals — though such materials are often sensitive and restricted.
- Even an emerging TRL7+ startup can demonstrate more real value than an unproven concept from a tier-1 public company — yet “hot” public names still capture most of the non-specialist investors’ attention.